Israel AND Palestine CONFLICT

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India, the u.  s. and several other other countries have necessitated calm and restraint amid escalating tensions and violence between Israel and Palestinian militants.

Dozens of individuals are killed in clashes and airstrikes since the violence broke out, including a 30-year-old Indian woman in Israel who was killed during a rocket attack by Palestinian militants from Gaza.

Air strike

Key Points

India’s Stand: At the UN SC meeting, India expressed deep concern at the clashes and violence in Jerusalem and called on each side to avoid changing the status-quo on the bottom.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, stressed the necessity to instantly resume direct peace talks and commitment to a two-state solution.

US Stand: The US President has also required de-escalation of the deadly violence that has claimed dozens of lives.

However, the US added that Israel contains a right to defend itself if it's attacked by thousands of rockets.

Response by the Arab World: Iran, Qatar and Turkey completely support the Palestinian cause and are backing Hamas.

UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are almost actual allies of Israel.

Israel - Palestine

The Conflict: it's linked to the age-old tussle over identity and land starting with Jerusalem.

In the first Arab Israel war of 1948, the Israelis captured the western 1/2 town, and Jordan took the eastern part which Israel later captured and annexed.

War strike

Since then, Israel has expanded settlements in East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians want to form East Jerusalem the capital of their yet to be formed state.

Israel sees the full city as its “unified, eternal capital”, whereas the Palestinian leadership denies for any compromise unless East Jerusalem is recognised because the capital of future Palestinian state.

The Palestinians face the threat of eviction from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in east Jerusalem. Their land is to run to the Jewish settlers.

Moreover, the Israeli soldiers have recently attacked the Al-Aqsa Mosque prior to a march by Zionist nationalists.

The Al Aqsa Mosque is that the third holiest shrine for Islam after Mecca and Medina.

Al Aqsa Mosque

It created a fear for the followers, everywhere the region and therefore the radicals began to incorporate defending the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Also, earlier this year (2021), the Central Court in East Jerusalem upheld a choice to evict four Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in favor of Jewish settlers.

The issue remains unresolved and potentially inflammable.

The current outbreak of violence is that the most severe one since 2014 involving the rocket-firing by the Palestinians and therefore the air-strikes conducted by Israelis in retaliation.

Factors Triggering the Conflict

Hamas in rule Palestine: Hamas, found in 1987, may be a violent offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood seeking "to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine" through violent jihad.

Palestine people protest

The Palestinian President is sort of adulthood and hence, senile and unable to fight for the cause.

So, Hamas is that the more radical faction of the Palestinians which has now started retaliating.

The so-called president authority of Palestine is neither conducting elections, nor functioning properly, the dictatorship of the Hamas and Israeli seizure of territories and limitations is aggravating the Palestinians.

Political Instability in Both the States: there's incapability and stagnation within the leadership structures on the either side thus resulting in too many groups getting out of control, who are resorting to maximum violence.

Moreover, Israel has had 4 elections within the last two years and every one of them were inconclusive. The Prime Minister of Israel has retained his post but only in a very caretaker form.

Divided Israel: The Israelis are all highly divided.

Israel flag

The Arabian Israelis who are just 20% of the population, identify with the Palestinians because of the identical ethnicity.

The Arabian Israelis and also the far-right community of Israel are engaging in war like activities inside the country.

Issues with the Palestinian People: the bottom sentiments of the Palestinians also are changing, the bulk of them saying they are doing not desire a two state solution.

It is also not decided if Hamas will rule over the Palestinian state or the Fatah or neither of those.

The Palestinians are a divide lot between between the Hamas and also the Fatah and also the two are moving on the various tracks which is that the main reason for the defeat of the final word Palestinian cause.

United Palestine with the assistance from the Arab world and also the other countries could have achieved way more than it's achieving now.

They are geographically separated by Israeli territory so it's not a viable state anymore, plus, the land going into the Jewish hands is further aggravating the Palestinians.

The US Losing its Significance within the Region: The US is preventing the meeting from going down at the UNSC for Palestinian cause and completely recognises the rights of Israelis to defend themselves.

The US President recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s de facto  capital also became a significant problem.

The US, under President Joe Biden, doesn't have much leverage on Israel, unlike the US under Donald Trump who clearly supported Israel. they're trying to be more even handed.

Although this administration within the US has talked about being neutral, it hasn’t invested much diplomatic energy during this conflict.

Way Forward

Change in Leadership: The leadership and generational change in politics of the 2 States is actually very crucial.

Both the Isreali and Palestinian Prime Ministers are in power for quite long. Ideally, they shall step aside, the domestic survival politics for power and therefore the desire of holding on to their chairs is overriding the broader interest of the region and its people.

There is hope for the newer generation to come back and rethink for a two state solution.Also, bringing Hamas into moderation is way required.

Preventing Disproportionate Retaliation: There has got to be a specific extent for both the states upto which they'll retaliate, disproportionate use of force isn't an answer, it'll only create more terrorism and extremism.

Role of the Regional Players: The regional players like Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE possibly have a much better pathway for peace talk than the US. The US doesn't have the maximum amount hold over the region because it accustomed have.

Qatar and Egypt are already working closely to bring peace.

India’s role: India believes that peace talks are the sole way ahead for stability to come back within the region and ending this decades old conflict.

India has close relationships with both the states and it supports Palestine but choosing one over the opposite isn't wise.

However, Palestine wants, to some extent, India to act as interlocutor as their faith doesn't lie much within the US, China or Russia.

Conclusion

The situation on the bottom is admittedly bad, the tensions are escalating and searching at the complex issues involved, the problem doesn't seem to be getting solved within the near future.

Israel defence system intercept missile

Peace talks are going down for a minimum of 2 decades but vainly. However, India’s stand still remains for peace talks.

Both sides should come for a possible solution which is in mutual interest but that may happen only through talks and not bloodshed.

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